Turkish coffee has first only museum

The first museum of Turkish coffee opened Feb. 11 at Istanbul's Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum. The museum, opened by the Bilintur Culture Initiative (BKG), which is carrying out a number of works with Turkey's Culture and Tourism Ministry, is considered the "first place where Turkish coffee is cooked and served in the most prominent way" by the Turkish Coffee Culture and Research Center. The ceremony was conducted with the participation of Culture and Tourism Minister Ertugrul Gunay, who said Turkish coffee had been presented at a ceremony in the Far East and that tourists showed great interest in it there. He also said coffee was very important in Turkish culture, but that no steps had been taken so far to officially reflect this. "BKG and the Ministry of Culture's Revolving Capital Administration (DOSIMM) will give a certificate to Turkish coffee in this place," Gunay said. "All of Turkey's unique products are being offered to museum visitors now. In the past, we used to visit museums but did not shop there. I was jealous of museums abroad for a long time, but now I'm not. [Guests] will also learn about the traditional saying, 'a cup of coffee is remembered for 40 years.'" BKG CEO Orhan Hallik said their mission was to protect Turkish coffee, which is a significant part of Turkey's cultural heritage. "Here we will serve tourists traditional Turkish coffee. We will enable them to drink the 'real' Turkish coffee and experience the way it is cooked and served." Hallik said Turkish coffee would have its real identity recognized, thanks to the certification program that will be given in the museum. "In the education program, we tell about how Turkish coffee first came to the Ottoman Empire, the opening of the first coffee house, and how it became popular in Europe. We also tell visitors about the unique ritual of cooking and serving Turkish coffee. Those who finish the education program will be given a certificate," he said. After the opening ceremony, Gunay cooked Turkish coffee in the kitchen of the venue. He was also given the certificate of the Turkish coffee education program.